'Team Erinn' conquers Spartan Race at Dodger Stadium for fallen Victorville paramedic

Clad in “Team Erinn” T-shirts, Debbie McGee and her group went full beast mode as they took on the 5K, 20-obstacle Spartan Race inside Dodger Stadium in memory of her late son.

Organizers described Saturday’s race as a fast and intense test of strength, functional fitness, and willpower at the 56,000-seat stadium at Chavez Ravine in Los Angeles.

Thousand participated in the weekend Spartan Race, which included a Kid's Obstacle Race with fewer obstacles and a shorter distance.

As exhausted Team Erinn members crossed the finish line, they were each awarded medals, including an extra one in honor of Debbie’s son, paramedic Erinn McGee, 34, who died in August 2022.

“That is a special medal that I will keep close to my heart,” said Debbie, who shared how she and Erinn previously participated in many endurance competitions, including a 2019 Spartan Race at Angel Stadium in Anaheim.

Team Erinn

After surviving childhood cancer, Erinn lived life to the fullest for decades before complications from surgery to remove a brain tumor ended his life nearly two years ago, his family said.

Erinn’s son, Oliver, remembers his father, whom he loved very much, said Debbie, a longtime teacher at Mariana Academy in Apple Valley.

Angel Stadium was the only Spartan Race she participated in with her son, one of the many reasons why Saturday’s race was so important to her, Debbie said.

“Everyone on our team had a special connection with Erinn, so we ran in his honor,” she said.

Team Erinn included Debbie’s siblings —brother Joe Bruno and sister Karen Ford. Also, her niece, Jaden Bruno, Erinn’s best friend, Randy Guilliam, and his girlfriend, Angela Gauthier.

“It was amazing to be able to honor my best friend as a group. He was my Spartan brother, and we did all of our races together,” Guilliam said. “The first race I ran without him, I cried half of the race. This race was different, we did it as a group and there was strength in that.”

‘Love like Erinn’

Before Erinn died, he was a paramedic/ER technician at Desert Valley Hospital in Victorville, his mother said.

“Erinn loved people without judgment; it didn't matter if they were homeless or wealthy,” Debbie said. “He loved people fully, much like Jesus.”

Debbie explained that because of her son’s compassionate heart, she wears a wristband that reads, “Love like Erinn,” because her son “Loved like Jesus,” a trait she wishes to imitate.

Team Erinn wore specially designed T-shirts produced by graphic designer Ernie Rodriguez during the race.

The shirts include a photo of Erinn at a Spartan race, flexing a bicep over the image of a Captain America-type shield.

Erinn McGee

In a 1993 interview, Debbie told the Daily Press that intense headaches led to Erinn being diagnosed with a brain tumor at age 5. After surgeons removed the tumor, Erinn was the first person to have proton radiation treatment.

At that time, doctors told Debbie and her husband, Mark, that the surgery would negatively affect their son’s motor skills, including his ability to walk.

“They said he’d never ride a bike again,” Debbie told the Daily Press.

But four days after surgery, Erinn sported stitches and staples on his shaven head as he took his bike on a spin around his family’s driveway.

During his recovery, Erinn’s Make a Wish dream came true when he met his hero, country singer Garth Brooks, during a concert in Sacramento.

“They let us go backstage,” Erinn said. “We’d bought shirts for Garth to sign, but when he met us, he said, ‘Why’d you buy shirts?’ He gave us our money back and all kinds of presents.”

'Star of Life'

LifeNet officials stated that Erinn worked with the company from 2012 to 2017. During his third year, his commitment earned him the distinction of being named an American Ambulance Association “Star of Life.”

"Erinn takes the time to instruct his partners with patience and tact,” LifeNet officials said in 2022. “He is the epitome of what a medic should be."

Erinn’s work colleagues described him as always being in a good mood, bending over backward to help anyone and an EMT who never treated a patient negatively.

Debbie, who plans to retire this year after nearly 35 years at Marianna Academy, said she plans to continue honoring her son’s memory by participating in more endurance challenges.

In September, Debbie celebrated her fourth year participating in The Great Cycle Challenge to raise money for childhood cancer research.

“I’m pretty sure I’ll do the next Spartan Race in Anaheim in September,” Debbie said. “We’ll see what happens before then.”

Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at 760-951-6227 or RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on Twitter @DP_ReneDeLaCruz.  

This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: 'Team Erinn' conquers Spartan Race for fallen Victorville paramedic